Upon arrival at Hoedspruit Airport you are collected and transferred to your safari lodge in the northern section of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve for your two-night stay. Upon arrival you have time to freshen up and settle in before embarking on your first afternoon game drive this evening.

Transfer time – Hoedspruit to Sabi Sand North – ± 2 hours

Forming part of the Greater Kruger National Park, the Sabi Sand Reserve has no fences and the wildlife is able to cross freely between the Sabi Sands and the rest of the Greater Kruger National Park. The safari experience in the Sabi Sand is highly personalised because game drive vehicles have exclusive traversing rights in their area. The Sabi Sand Reserve is a remarkable natural sanctuary known for its exceptionally high concentration of animal and bird life. Close contact encounters are guaranteed as the animals are not threatened by the presence of vehicles thanks to sound conservation management policies. Safaris are led by experienced rangers coupled with local Shangaan trackers. With exceptional sightings of leopard (usually the most elusive of cats), lion, rhino, elephant and buffalo during game drives – visitors are never lacking in exciting photographic content.

After your morning game drive and breakfast, you are collected and transferred by road to your next safari lodge which is situated in the Timbavati Game Reserve, also part of the Greater Kruger National Park. You check in and have a little bit of time to relax before setting off on another evening game drive.

Transfer time – Northern Sabi Sand to Timbavati: ± 2 hours

The Timbavati forms part of the 2 million hectare Greater Kruger National Park. It was the first private game reserve to be incorporated into the Kruger National Park and is part of one of Africa’s most innovative conservation partnership agreements. The Timbavati is 14 700 hectares (36 300 acres) and shares an unfenced boundary with Kruger National Park. Track the Big Five, as well as a rich variety of other game such as antelope, zebra, warthog, giraffe and hippo, in the company of an armed ranger and local Shangaan tracker. Bird viewing is spectacular, with over 360 recorded species including various eagles, vultures, kingfishers, woodpeckers, buzzards, herons, egrets, owls, weavers. The Timbavati is also home to the world-famous “White Lions of Timbavati”.

This morning you are taken on your last game drive and then enjoy breakfast before you are collected. You are taken to Hoedspruit Airport where you collect your hire car. You leave the car hire kiosk and head to your accommodation in the Hoedspruit area for a 2 night stay.

Transfer time – Motswari to Hoedspruit – ±1½ – 2 hours

Driving time – Hoedspruit to Hoedspruit accommodation – ± 20 minutes

Hoedspruit is situated in the Lowveld, 50km west and midway between Orpen Gate and Phalaborwa, and is the gate-way to the heart of the Kruger National Park. The town is surrounded by famous game reserves such as Timbavati, Klaserie, Balule, Selati, Karongwe, Makalali and Thornybush Game Reserves.

The area is unique in that it is a wilderness haven and a highly scenic part of South Africa. It has the Northern Drakensberg Mountains towering up to 1900 meters, with lichen covered cliffs. In addition, you will find two of South Africa’s most important rivers, the Olifants River and the Blyde River.

The Lowveld bushveld is unique in South Africa and contains large amounts of combretum, marula and acacia. Here you find 2000yr old Boabab Trees and 1000yrs old Leadwood trees. This area is fondly known by many South Africans as “the bush”. The result of these mountains, canyons, rivers and bushveld is a high diversity of animal and birdlife that makes this one of the worlds premium destinations for game viewing.

Other than game drives and bird watching there are many other activities that can be done in the area. There is hot air ballooning, microlight flights, hiking trails, boat cruises on the Blyde dam, river canoeing and tubing.There are numerous animal rehabilitation and breeding projects in the area that allow visitors close up contact with animals that normally would not tolerate humans. These include cheetah, hippo, vulture, lion, buffalo and honey badger.

It is also a good base from which to explore the famous Panorama Route which is known for its cultural heritage and dramatic landscape. Some of the more popular attractions along the Panorama route include Blyde River Canyon, Bourke’s Luck Potholes and God’s Window.

Today you return your hire car before checking in for your flight to Johannesburg. Upon arrival at Johannesburg Airport you head to international departures to connect to your onward flight home.

Driving time – Khaya Ndlovu to Tzaneen – ±1½ hours

Driving time – Tzaneen to Phalaborwa – ± 1 hour 20 minutes